Agenda item

Report of the Director of Community Protection

Abu Belim, Principal Enforcement Officer, City South, introduced the Director of Community Protection’s report detailing the two proposed Dog Control Orders for the Dales ward:

·  an Order requiring the removal of dog faeces over the land detailed in Appendix 2 of the report; and

·  an Order requiring dogs to be kept on a lead of not more than 60 inches in length over the land outlined in Appendix 1 of the report.

The Committee had previously discussed this at its 11 February 2014 meeting (minute 39).

He highlighted that Councillor David Mellen has received some representations about the green area within Greens Mill Park being included as it is the only location in that part of the ward where residents can exercise their dogs off a lead. In response to this a further plan has been prepared (Appendix 6 of the report) and if the Area Committee wished to use the amended plan the change would not need to be consulted on.

During discussion the Committee and others in attendance made the following comments:

(a)  the Dales is the first ward in the City to introduce Dog Control Orders, but dog fouling is a big issue and there is also an issue with dog attacks when dogs are not on leads;

(b)  people feel safer when dogs are kept on leads in built up areas;

(c)  the children’s playground in the green area at Greens Mill Park is fenced in so more consultation is required on whether it should be included in the Order requiring dogs to be kept on leads or whether it should be an exception;

(d)  Dog Control Orders should be introduced across the City;

(e)  dogs should be kept on leads on the green area at Greens Mill Park for the safety of children;

(f)  dogs not being kept under control is a longstanding issue and people are in favour of the Orders as it puts some control in place;

(g)  having different types of Orders in different areas and across the City could be confusing for citizens;

(h)  the Topper isn’t widely distributed so many people wouldn’t have seen the consultation notice;

(i)  an £80 fine isn’t high enough, it should be £100;

(j)  there have been lots of responses to the consultation and a minimum of 3 public meetings to discuss the proposals;

(k)  dogs also need to be kept under control when they are on leads but the legislation doesn’t appear to cover this;

(l)  residents need somewhere close by to exercise their dogs off the lead so the green area at Greens Mill Park should be excluded from the Order;

(m)  the use of the Topper for advertisements may need to be checked for appropriateness if it isn’t widely circulated;

(n)  people often let their dogs into the playground on the green area at Greens Mill Park to keep them away from other dogs.

RESOLVED to

(1)  note the evidence gathered and the results of the consultation on the proposal to introduce Dog Control Orders for the Dales ward;

(2)  authorise the Director of Legal and Democratic Services and the Legal Services Manager to make the following Dog Control Orders:

(a)  a Dog Control Order requiring the removal of dog faeces from the land outlined with a bold red line on the Plan Dog Control Order 2 at Appendix 2 of the report; and

(b)  a Dog Control Order requiring dogs to be kept on a lead of not more than 60 inches in length over the land outlined with a bold red line in the plan at Appendix 6 of the report excluding the green area at Greens Mill Park;

(3)  the Director of Community Protection to be authorised to carry out consultation processes required with regard to the making of a proposed Dog Control Order requiring dogs to be kept on a lead of not more than 60 inches over the green area at Greens Mill Park (address description to be included);

(4)  delegate authority to the Chair and Vice-Chair, in consultation with Dales ward Councillors, to, once the consultation at (3) above is complete to consider the results of that consultation and to decide whether a Dog Control Order requiring dogs to be kept on a lead of not more than 60 inches in length over the green area at Greens Mill Park should be made;

(5)  authorise the Director of Community Protection to carry out the necessary advertisements and arrange for appropriate signage to be erected for the Dog Control Orders at 2(a) and (b) above in accordance with the legislative requirements; 

(6)  set the Fixed Penalty amount for offences committed contrary to the above Dog Control Orders at £80.